Historical Marker Program

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California Road

Dewey County
Location: on OK-34, two miles north of Leedy
Coordinates: 35.896909, -99.337047
Material: Aluminum
Sponsor(s): Town of Leedey
Topics: Transportation; Ranching; Settlement Patterns; Westward Expansion, 1803–1861

Near here on May 28, 1849, was the camp of a large party of gold seekers en route to California with a military escort under the command of Captain R. B. Marcy. The California Road was used by travelers for over 50 years. East of here about four miles are traces of the Western Cattle Trail to Dodge City, Kansas.

Note: This marker was reported damaged on April 9, 2025.

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Great Western Trail

Dewey County
Location: on US-60, 3.5 miles west of Vici
Coordinates: 36.144573, -99.359896
Material: Other (Stone with brick pedestal)
Sponsor(s): Unknown
Topics: Ranching; Territorial Period 1861–1908; Transportation

Beginning in 1874, millions of cattle and horses were driven from Texas through what became western Oklahoma over the westernmost of the famous cattle trails. The trail crossed the Red River and Doan's Crossing in Jackson County and continued north to Dodge City, Kansas. By the 1880s, many drives continued past Dodge City into Nebraska, Wyoming, Montana, and Canada. The last recorded use of the trail occurred in 1894. Remnants of the trail are marked by a long sequence of depressions worn into the land by millions of hooves. One instance of these depressions is visible just to the back of this marker as a long U-shaped notch running through a rounded sandy ridge. Also see "Dodge City Trail".